PHF again contacts IPC ministry for grant

ISLAMABAD: While bypassing early instructions, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) again approached the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) directly, requesting release of Rs82 million grants for the preparation of team’s forthcoming international events.

In yet another letter (the copy of which is available with The News) sent to the IPC secretary Jamil Ahmad on October 31, PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed boosted team’s gold medal efforts in the just concluded Asian Champions Trophy while demanding release of Rs82 million.

It was never mentioned in the letter that Pakistan were declared joint winner of the 5th Asian Champions Trophy in Oman after thunderstorm washed away the final. Pakistan lost the toss, giving India the right to take away the trophy for the first year. Pakistan will only land their hands on the trophy in October 2019.

Secondly, both teams were awarded gold medals. It was not Pakistan alone that was given the right to get the gold medal. Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) clearly mentioned that Indian team members will get the gold medals in couple of days after the award ceremony. The PHF letter also wrongly boosted qualifying for the World Cup. It is nothing less than a big joke to boost such a happening as almost all the hockey playing nations would be there amongst the 16-team competition to be held in India later this month.

Thanks to Qasim Zia, the former PHF president, the International Hockey Federation (IHF) has raised the strength of the World Cup competing teams from 12 to 16. Had there been 12 teams (as was the practice previously), Pakistan would have been out of the World Cup as it turned out to be the 14th team to qualify.

In a letter of request written to the IPC secretary, the PHF admitted that the federation is in ‘deep’ financial crises. There is no mention of the fact that the federation’s accounts witnessed transaction of over Rs850 million during the last three years.

“Yes, I have received yet another letter of request from PHF for Rs82million special grant for proper functioning of the federation. I have sent the request back to Pakistan Sports Board (PSB). The ministry itself does not have any money to give it to any federation. It is up to the PSB to look into matter and decide accordingly,” Jamil Ahmad when approached said.

The PSB does not have any money to pay to the world renowned wrestler Inayat Khan who becomes the first Pakistani to win medal in the Youth Olympics and to Inam Butt who beat the best to win gold medal in the Beach Games.

“We are short of money and it would be difficult for us to give any grant to federation under present circumstances. Inayat and Inam won laurels for the country from world events. Yet we haven’t released any amount to the wrestling federation,” a PSB official said.

Still the PHF is the only federation which got the heaviest financial help from the government during the last three years.‘The News’ has learnt that a whopping amount of Rs600 million has been given to PHF in shape of normal and special grant during the last three years. These grants came from federal and provincial governments.